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Press Release: Norwich Society campaign ensures over 100 buildings are to be given extra protection

President of Civic Voice, Griff Rhys Jones, congratulates Civic Voice member the Norwich Society for campaign to give greater protection to more than 100 listed buildings.

Welcoming the announcement that, after three years of campaigning by Civic Voice member the Norwich Society, Norwich City Council is to add more than 100 buildings to a Local List of Heritage Assets, Griff Rhys Jones, President of Civic Voice said;

“This is great news. Across the country, civic groups are working hard daily to gain extra protection for the buildings they value. We are delighted to see the Norwich Society achieve such success. This shows that, when communities work together, they can have a voice on issues that matter to them. I congratulate the Norwich Society for achieving recognition for these local heritage assets.”

A local heritage list is managed by the local authority and, while placing a building on the local list does not give a building any additional legal protection, it does mean that the heritage value of a locally listed heritage asset is a material consideration in determining planning applications. Civic Voice members have pledged to increase the number of heritage assets on local lists by another 2,015 before April 2015.

Vicky Manthorpe, administrator for the Norwich Society, said: “I am absolutely delighted that the list has been adopted. I hope it means that we have a good basis for discussions over the future of those buildings. This now means we should be able to add to the list when other properties come to our attention. I would encourage other civic groups across England to start nominating local heritage assets so that you can demonstrate what you value in your community.”

Griff finished by saying “We all know of a local building which helps to define the area where we live and work. I would now encourage individuals across England that if you love a local building and think it has character and adds to your local community you should join your local civic society and consider fighting to give the building extra protection from developers by getting it listed on a Local List of Heritage Assets”.

NOTES FOR EDITORS
1 Civic Voice is the national charity for the civic movement. We work to make the places where everyone lives more attractive, enjoyable and distinctive and to promote civic pride. We speak up for civic societies and local communities across England. We believe everyone should live somewhere they can be proud of and we know how people feel about places because we feel the same way. Civic societies are the most numerous participants in the planning system. Since its launch in April 2010 Civic Voice has been joined by over 290 civic societies with 75,000 members. Further information is available at http://www.civicvoice.org.uk including how to join Civic Voice (£10 individuals) and contact details for local civic societies.

2 The local list identifies heritage assets (principally buildings) that are valued locally for their architecture and/or historic value, but which are not of sufficient importance to warrant national statutory listing (i.e. grade I, II* and II.)

3 The National planning policy framework (2012) describes a heritage asset as “a building, monument, site, place, area or landscape identified as having a degree of significance meriting consideration in planning decisions, because of its heritage interest.” The term ‘heritage asset’ includes designated heritage assets and assets identified by the local planning authority (including local listing). The NPPF advises local authorities that in assessing proposals which only have local heritage status (“non-designated assets”) “a balanced judgement will be required having regard to the scale of any harm or loss and the significance of the heritage asset.” (NPPF paragraph 135).